When a deal closes, the real work begins—but only if sales and client success are aligned. In this episode of The Future of Selling, host Rick Smith sits down with award-winning client success leader Erica Newell to explore the underestimated power of a well-executed sales handoff.

Erica brings wisdom from years of customer success leadership, sharing why bad handoffs lead to churn, how “turf anxiety” kills collaboration, and what great teams do to build trust across the client lifecycle. You'll learn:

• The top 3 pitfalls of poor sales-CS transitions
• How to create a frictionless baton pass
• Why early involvement of CS (especially in enterprise deals) is essential
• Which metrics matter—and which don’t
• How to build client relationships that endure beyond contracts

Whether you're a CRO, CSM, or sales leader, this episode is packed with practical strategies to create smoother handoffs, happier clients, and healthier revenue.

Connect with Erica Newell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericajnewell/

Connect with Rick Smith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-smith-094b29b/

Check out Conquer: https://conquer.io/

What if the key to scaling your company wasn’t a new strategy, but a new way of being?

In this provocative and insightful episode, executive coach and sales transformation architect Townsend Wardlaw joins us to unpack why consciousness, not just systems or hustle, is the most powerful growth lever a founder can use. From his bold take on integrity and mindset to the hidden meaning behind "yes" and "no" in sales conversations, Townsend offers a radical reframe for how leaders can drive revenue, align teams, and ultimately create companies built for a high-value exit.

🔥 What You’ll Learn:

• Why consciousness is more than mindset and how it drives tangible business outcomes
• How founders unintentionally become bottlenecks, and what to do about it
• The game-changing difference between playing to win vs. not to lose
• What it really means to lead with integrity, and how it accelerates revenue
• Why checking for understanding is a secret superpower in leadership
• A simple, powerful step to shift your company’s trajectory—starting today

About Townsend Wardlaw:

Townsend is a coach, consultant, and advisor to founders, helping companies between $1M and $10M scale revenue and create meaningful exits. He’s known for challenging leaders to elevate their consciousness and shift their results by changing how they see and show up in the world.

Connect with Townsend Wardlaw: https://www.linkedin.com/in/townsendwardlaw/

Connect with Rick Smith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-smith-094b29b/
Check out Conquer: https://conquer.io/

In this episode, Rick talks discusses the evolving landscape of sales enablement with Brian Trautschold, co-founder of Ambition, a leading sales performance management platform.

Brian shares his entrepreneurial journey—from coffee runs and copy machines at UBS to co-founding multiple startups and building Ambition into a company that transforms sales teams through coaching, gamification, and trust.

If you're a sales leader navigating the complexities of scaling your team or thinking about how AI and manager enablement will shape the next decade of performance, this is a must-listen conversation.

Connect with Brian Trautschold: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-trautschold-97518219/
Check out Ambition: https://ambition.com/

Connect with Rick Smith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-smith-094b29b/
Check out Conquer: https://conquer.io/

In this high-energy and deeply insightful episode, Rick sits down with Amanda Rubin, Chief Revenue Officer at Wildfire and former EVP of Growth at Enthusiast Gaming. Together, they explore how authenticity is reshaping modern marketing, particularly through Amanda’s groundbreaking work connecting brands with communities on Discord.

Amanda explains how Wildfire is helping brands authentically integrate into Gen Z-focused communities—not through ads, but through meaningful dialogue, partnerships, and experiences. She also unpacks the difference between marketing vs. branding, why trust is the ultimate competitive advantage, and how startups should think about go-to-market strategy from day one.

In the second half of the episode, Amanda opens up about building her career as a woman in a male-dominated industry, overcoming imposter syndrome, and how she’s found purpose by blending strategic leadership with human connection. Her story is as real as her leadership style—and one that will resonate with professionals at every level.

🎧 Tune in for a masterclass in modern brand building—and how character and competence create career momentum.

Connect with Amanda Rubin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-j-rubin/
Check out Wildfire: https://www.getwildfire.gg/

Connect with Rick Smith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-smith-094b29b/
Check out Conquer: https://conquer.io/

Unlock the secrets to building high-performing sales teams and staying ahead of the curve! In this episode of The Future of Selling, host Rick Smith welcomes Phil Hernandez, Global VP of Sales at Taskus, to discuss what it takes to lead winning teams in today's evolving sales landscape.

Phil shares practical insights from his 20+ years of experience — from creating strong sales cultures and developing leadership skills, to harnessing the power of AI to scale faster. Whether you're building a new sales team or leading an established one, this episode is packed with real-world strategies you can use today.

In this episode:

• Why culture is the foundation of sales success
• How AI is reshaping sales enablement and customer engagement
• Hiring strategies that go beyond the resume
• Building resilience and learning through failure
• The future mindset every sales leader needs

If you're ready to grow yourself, your team, and your results, this episode is for you.

👉 Like, subscribe, and hit the bell to catch every episode of The Future of Selling!

Connect with Phil Hernandez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hernandezphillip/
Learn more about Taskus: https://www.taskus.com/

Connect with Rick Smith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-smith-094b29b/
Learn more about Conquer: https://conquer.io/

#salesleadership #futureofsales #salesculture #AI #taskus #salescoaching #leadership

In this episode of The Future of Selling, Rick Smith sits down with Kara Smith Brown—CEO and Founder of LeadCoverage, Ironman triathlete, and author of The Revenue Engine. Kara shares her no-fluff, practical framework for aligning marketing with business outcomes by measuring volume, value, and velocity.

They dive deep into:

• Why most marketing-sourced data falls flat in the boardroom
• How to truly align sales and marketing through pipeline velocity
• The power of intent data, ABM, and programmatic media buying
• Her journey from corporate roles to entrepreneurship
• Why "share good news, track interest, and follow up" is the core of modern B2B marketing
• And yes, how she turned being underestimated into Ironman motivation

Whether you're a marketing leader, CRO, or entrepreneur looking to generate real pipeline with precision, this episode is packed with insights you can actually use.

📚 Grab Kara Smith Brown’s book The Revenue Engine: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1642259098/

📍 Catch Kara Smith Brown on the road at her nationwide workshop tour: https://info.leadcoverage.com/the-revenue-engine-workshop-2025

🤝 Connect with Kara Smith Brown on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karasmithbrown/

💡 Learn More About Conquer: https://conquer.io/

🤝 Connect with Rick Smith on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-smith-094b29b

In this episode of The Future of Selling, host Rick Smith dives into one of the most disruptive shifts shaping sales organizations today: Decentralized Talent (or "DeTal"). Joined by Conquer's Chief Revenue Officer Jim Trimarco (JT) and Chief Financial Officer Demian Costa, the conversation unpacks how companies are rethinking sales staffing, team structure, and global scalability.

From JT’s deep experience leading global sales organizations to Demian’s journey from Navy SEAL to CFO, this episode offers a unique perspective on what’s driving the evolution of modern sales teams—and why the traditional outsourcing model has failed.

🔍 Topics We Cover:

• What "decentralized talent" actually means and how it differs from traditional outsourcing
• Why global wage arbitrage is an opportunity, not a risk
• How to align remote, global teams with your company culture and goals
• The tech stack and leadership mindset needed to make DeTal work
• Why the Balkans could be the next big thing in talent sourcing
• Actionable takeaways for sales leaders looking to grow while cutting costs

Whether you're scaling a startup or leading a mature sales org, this episode breaks down how to reduce costs, maintain quality, and scale faster—without sacrificing culture or performance.

Learn More About Conquer

Connect with Rick Smith
Connect with Jim Trimarco
Connect with Demian Costa

In this episode of The Future of Selling podcast, host Rick Smith sits down with Andrew "AD" D’Agostino, a sales enablement leader with deep expertise in aligning teams, simplifying processes, and driving revenue growth. With over 14 years of experience, AD has navigated the startup journey, scaled revenue to $50M, led through 10+ acquisitions, and now plays a critical role in sales enablement at Conquer.

💡 Key Topics Covered:
✅ What sales enablement really means and why it’s more than just training
✅ The top three components of a high-impact sales enablement strategy
✅ How to align sales, marketing, and customer success with a common language
✅ The role of ruthless qualification in boosting deal velocity 🚀
✅ The game-changing impact of AI on coaching and sales enablement
✅ Tools and strategies to cut friction and increase flow in the selling process

AD shares real-world insights, practical frameworks like MEDDIC and force management, and actionable takeaways for sales enablement professionals looking to simplify, align, and drive results.

🔔 Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more insights from top sales and enablement leaders!

📢 Learn more about Conquer
📲 Connect with Andrew D’Agostino
📲 Connect with Rick Smith